Bayern Munich have been crowned Bundesliga champions for the eighth straight season, although it did not always look like an inevitability.

The Bavarian giants endured a difficult start to the season under Niko Kovac, but have been magnificent since Hansi Flick replaced him at the helm in November.

Bayern clinched the title with two games to spare by beating Werder Bremen 1-0 on Tuesday, Robert Lewandowski scoring his 31st Bundesliga goal of the season.

We take a look back at the key games in their successful 2019-20 league campaign.

 

November 9, 2019: Bayern Munich 4-0 Borussia Dortmund

Kovac oversaw just five wins in Bayern's first 10 Bundesliga games of the season and was dismissed after a 5-1 hammering at the hands of his former club Eintracht Frankfurt.

Flick was placed in temporary charge and had a baptism of fire in his first game, with Dortmund visiting the Allianz Arena.

The prolific Lewandowski headed in Benjamin Pavard's volleyed cross for the opener, before Serge Gnabry added a second on the break two minutes after half-time.

Lewandowski doubled his tally in the final quarter of an hour and an own goal from former Bayern defender Mats Hummels ensured there was no way back for Lucien Favre's side.

 

December 14, 2019: Bayern Munich 6-1 Werder Bremen

It was not all plain sailing at the start of Flick's tenure, though. After back-to-back league defeats against Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach they slipped to seventh, seven points adrift off Marco Rose's pacesetters.

Milot Rashica put struggling Bremen in front, but a quickfire pair of goals from Philippe Coutinho and Lewandowski on the stroke of half-time turned the match on its head.

Bayern ran away with it in the second half, Coutinho completing his hat-trick with a magnificent right-footed curling strike from the edge of the box following efforts from Lewandowski and Thomas Muller.

 

February 21, 2020: Bayern Munich 3-2 Paderborn

Having regained top spot at the start of February, Bayern's campaign could have been derailed by lowly Paderborn.

The visitors threatened to stun the Allianz Arena as they twice came from behind to equalise: Dennis Srbeny and Sven Michel scoring, the former making the most of a howler from Manuel Neuer, after efforts from Gnabry and Lewandowski.

It was 2-2 with 15 minutes remaining but Lewandowski was in the right place at the right time, tapping home the winner in the 88th minute.

A draw would have seen RB Leipzig get the chance to move level on points with Flick's men the following day.

 

May 17, 2020: Union Berlin 0-2 Bayern Munich

The coronavirus pandemic threw the season into disarray, with the Bundesliga season suspended for two months.

It could have been easy to be caught cold in their first game back, but with matches being played behind closed doors, their trip to Stadion An der Alten Forsterei was less daunting than it could have been.

They were under added pressure with Dortmund having moved to within one point by thrashing Schalke 4-0 a day prior, but goals from Lewandowski and Pavard ensured they left the capital with maximum points.

It also meant Flick had made history by seeing his team score 50 goals in his first 16 Bundesliga matches.

 

May 26, 2020: Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayern Munich

A pivotal moment in the fate of the title race arrived just nine days later.

Bayern knew victory would send them seven points clear with six games left, while defeat would have left them with a one-point cushion.

Joshua Kimmich's magnificent chip from the edge of the box just before half-time was enough to settle it.

In his post-match news conference, Favre acknowledged Dortmund's challenge was effectively over: "It will be very difficult in the title race. Seven points behind with six games [left], that will be brutally difficult."